IGNPC: What sort of additions or changes have you had to make to the new rules? Are there any new spells or skills just for Icewind Dale 2?

Josh Sawyer: We have implemented a number of sub-races for Icewind Dale 2 that lie outside of the core D&D 3E rules. The Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting hardcover details races like dark elves, ghostwise halflings, and tieflings. We've implemented these races as closely as we could to the spirit of the rules. With the new changes in multi-classing, we may even be able to get them within "virtual inches" of the letter of the rules.

IGNPC: How do you think your own approach might be different from other games (Pool of Radiance or Neverwinter Nights for instance) that have used the rules?

Josh Sawyer: I think the emphasis of our game is different from both Pool of Radiance and the upcoming Neverwinter Nights. Icewind Dale 2 is a combat-oriented dungeon exploration game. There's a lot of role-playing in Icewind Dale 2, but the focus is clearly on creeping through ruins and fighting hordes of baddies. The rules we have implemented have all been geared towards making those experiences more fun for the player. And, unlike Pool of Radiance, which did a pretty decent job of implementing the letter of the rules in a turn-based environment, we're ignoring those aspects (like attacks of opportunity) for an experience that is similar in pacing to Icewind Dale and Baldur's Gate.

IGNPC: Will you be including ALL of the classes and races of the 3rd edition? How do you determine who makes the cut? Will specialty clerics put in an appearance?

Josh Sawyer: Yes, though not all classes will have all of their book abilities. Monks, for instance, will not gain the Leap of Clouds ability since there is no jumping in our game. We try to fill these gaps so players won't feel like their favorite class is getting the short straw.

Though standard Player's Handbook paladins and monks cannot multiclass without penalties, we are allowing players to select orders from the FRCS hardcover that allow limited multiclassing. For instance, paladins of Ilmater, the god of suffering, are allowed to multiclass to the cleric class and back without penalty.

Specialty priests don't appear in 3E as the kit-like incarnations players saw in Faiths & Avatars. Domains look like they would be a stretch to include.

IGNPC: The practical applications of things like skills and spells are clear enough. But we're wondering, what effect will alignment have within the game?

Josh Sawyer: Primarily, alignment affects dialogue options that you receive throughout the course of the game. Evil characters can get some pretty cruel and heartless dialogue options. Paladins often are restricted to honorable responses. Overall, class, race, and alignment have a lot of little effects on how you interact with NPCs.

IGNPC: We all thought that the combat in Icewind Dale was quite compelling. Combat in the 3rd edition seems much more sophisticated than the rules you used for the first Icewind Dale. What changes can players expect to see in combat?

Josh Sawyer: To be honest, I think the primary thing that makes 3E combat seem more "sophisticated" is the use of attacks of opportunity. Those rules are easily the most confusing and among the most often criticized elements of the system. Some people love them, some people hate them -- but they definitely do add a very heavy layer of complexity to the rules. Overall, I believe that the subset of 3E rules we are implementing will make the game much easier to understand, much more customizable, and ultimately, just more fun.